Better Seed, Better Birds

You can get some kind of "wild bird seed" almost anywhere these days: the hardware store, the pet store, the grocery store. Sometimes they may seem like a bargain, but all too often they are a bad choice for you and your birds. Beware seed mixes that look like the top picture to the right, dominated by red and light-colored round seeds with a few scattered sunflowers. If the ingredient list shows milo, sorghum, wheat, canary seed, significant amounts of corn, or mysterious unspecified "grain products," it probably isn't a good blend.

Instead, look for lots of sunflower, which may come in the familiar black shell (as in the middle picture of our Supreme Blend) or in a hulled form (as in the bottom picture of our No-Mess Blend). White millet, nuts, or safflower are good secondary ingredients. If you want some straight talk on your current birdseed, we're always happy to give you our honest opinion - there are good seed blends out there other than our own.

How else is our seed better? Consider the differences:

Their Seed

Our Seed

Dominated by inedible filler grains which waste your money and attract rodents, such as milo, wheat, and mystery "grain products"

100% edible, no waste of resources or money

Not regionally formulated; contain seeds like striped sunflower and red proso millet which appeal to fewer western species

Locally optimized, based on the seeds California birds prefer, like black oil sunflower and white millet

Limited choices; often a single, so-called "wild bird blend" which promise all birds, but really is only attractive to a few species.

Many choices of straight seeds and blends specifically formulated to attract the birds you want

Either small, pricey bags or giant unwieldy bags which are difficult to store and take too long to use up.

Most seeds offered in 5 lb, 10 lb, or 20 lb bags for your convenience

Irregular and casual distribution with no attention to freshness

Seed is delivered every week to ensure freshness

Unengaged staff with no knowledge of birds

Friendly staff who are passionate about birds and can tell you which seeds are best for attracting certain species, which will deter squirrels and other pests, and which will keep your feeder area clean

Our Seeds and Blends

Blends for the Birds You Want:

Select: High millet to sunflower ratio for ground feeders

Deluxe: Even millet to sunflower ratio to feed both ground feeding and perching birds

Supreme: A no-millet blend to attract the widest variety of perching birds